


Piece of Cake

by AntarcticBird



Category: Glee
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-14
Updated: 2016-03-14
Packaged: 2018-05-26 16:46:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6247819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AntarcticBird/pseuds/AntarcticBird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anonymous said: Kurt's had a stressful day and really needs cheesecake. He's in line at his favourite bakery when the really cute guy in front of him buys the last cheesecake...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Piece of Cake

It's been a long week. A really, really fucking _long_ week. 

And now it's the weekend, and instead of sleeping in and getting to relax Kurt has been up since six-thirty to meet up with a study group that couldn't meet any other time of the week, spent two endless hours back at the loft practicing with Rachel for their duet assignment, and then worked a six-hour shift at the Spotlight Diner where one customer spilled coffee all over him, another one tried to grope him and then called him some very unflattering names when Kurt slapped his hand away, _and_ his boss just informed him that he's gonna have to come in tomorrow as well because apparently Dani has the flu and has called in sick.

It's … not been the best day. Not the best week before that.

His vocal coach has been in a mood for weeks, his dance teacher has picked him as the victim of the month and taken every opportunity to ridicule him in front of everyone, that kind-of-cute senior from the NYADA glee club he'd thought had been hitting on him has finally introduced him to his boyfriend, and to top it all off a pipe had burst in their building and they hadn't had any hot water from Monday all the way through Thursday so he'd had to travel through the entire city to shower at Elliott's place.

All he wants right now is to take a nap before he has to get started on his homework. But first, he wants a really large coffee and the absolute biggest slice of cake he can find. 

Not just any cake, though. There's one thing and one thing only that might still be able to save this day: cheesecake. Specifically the cheesecake from the coffee shop down the block. He doesn't know what they put in it, but it's saved his days on more than one occasion, it's that good.

The coffee shop is tiny and it doesn't look like the most inviting place from the outside, which is why it took him almost a month to find it after he and Rachel moved here. Now he gets cake there at least once a week. Because their cake is the best, and Kurt knows he's a bit of a cake snob; he doesn't have _any_ criticism concerning their cake. It's perfection in cake form, it's baked slices of heaven, it's the best damn cake he's ever had anywhere and he _wants_ it. _Fuck_. He _deserves_ it. His week has _sucked_ and he's really earned something good at the end of it.

It's rarely crowded in the coffee shop, and now it's late afternoon and raining outside so he's hopeful that there won't be too many people in front of him. He just wants his cake. His cake and maybe one of the tables by the window so that he can stare out into the bleak afternoon while enjoying his well-deserved treat.

There are three people in front of him when he gets in line, but at least most of the tables by the window are empty, so Kurt waits patiently, tries not to tap his foot as the old man currently up at the counter takes approximately five million years to select his box-full of donuts to take home. There's only a rushed-looking middle-aged woman after him, who orders quickly while barely looking up from her phone, and a guy Kurt's never seen here before, around his age, he guesses. He'd remember if he'd seen him before. He's … kind of adorable in a classically handsome way. Not too many people can pull off a bow tie and suspenders and make it look completely unironic.

He makes himself not stare at the cute guy's head (and wow that's a lot of gel) and instead starts scanning the display case, mouth watering already, eyes zeroing in on the very last slice of cheesecake right away. He barely holds in the gasp – he _wants_ that slice. It's _his_. He can feel his fingers itching, can't quite keep himself from bouncing on his feet a little as he gets closer and closer to his treat. At least it's almost his turn, he's almost made it, he _needs his cake_ after the week he's had, he _deserves_ that slice of cake...

“What can I get you?” the girl behind the counter asks the guy in front of him.

“Oh,” the guy says. “Well, um … That cheesecake looks fantastic.”

Kurt stops his bouncing, feels his eyes widen in horror.

“Good choice,” the girl says. “Popular too. It's our last slice.”

“I'll take it,” the guy says, already getting out his wallet.

“Oh _no_ ,” Kurt says, much louder than he'd intended, quickly slapping a hand over his mouth to silence himself. 

But, really. It's just been that kind of a week. He should have known.

The stranger turns his head and Kurt feels himself blush as he suddenly finds everyone's attention fixed on him.

“Oh, I'm sorry, did you want -” the guy gestures toward the display case, eyebrows raised in question.

Kurt opens and closes his mouth, and it physically hurts him to say this, but … whatever. It's … it's just cake, right? It's just been that kind of a week. “No, sorry,” he says. “You were here first. It's fine, I -”

“No, please!” The stranger says, smiling at him. “It's okay. I can – The cupcakes look good too -”

Kurt sighs, smiles sadly. “Their cupcakes _are_ amazing,” he says. “But the cheesecake is better. Much better. Seriously. You should take it.”

“But _you_ want it,” the stranger says. “Don't you?”

“Yeah, well. It's usually my go-to treat after a bad day, but … no, seriously. I'll live. It's no big deal. I'm sorry. I should learn to keep my mouth shut.” He does his best to smile.

The guy narrows his eyes at him, seems to look him up and down, and Kurt cringes a little – he knows he's kind of a mess and he looks it too, sleep-deprived, rain-wet hair, dark circles under his eyes. He does his best to straighten his back and smile confidently anyway.

“I can't in good conscience buy the last slice of your bad-day treat,” Bow Tie Guy says.

Kurt shakes his head. “You were here first,” he repeats. “It's your cake.”

“Well, no, not yet it isn't. I haven't actually ordered yet, have I?”

“You're really very nice,” Kurt says. “But it's not that big of a deal. I _promise_.”

“I'll have one of those red velvet cupcakes,” the guy says, turning back to the girl behind the counter, who's been watching their little exchange with a barely-head-back grin on her face.

“You really don't have to -” Kurt tries to interfere, but the guy's smiling back at him.

“It's fine. You look like – It's fine. I don't mind. You should have your treat after a bad day. My day was pretty good. I just wanted something sweet with my coffee, and a cupcake will do just fine. I really don't mind, I swear.”

“I feel awful now,” Kurt confesses. “I usually don't do this. You know. Talk random strangers out of their baked goods.”

The guy laughs. “Hey, honestly, it's not a big deal, okay?”

“Thank you,” Kurt says, smiles down at his feet as Hair Gel Boy orders a medium drip with his cupcake, and then picks up his little tray to find a table by the window with one more smile back at Kurt.

“So,” the girl behind the counter says, smiling at him. “You want the cheesecake?”

Kurt laughs. “Please. Yes. And a large mocha? Thanks.”

He waits for his order to be ready, can't help stealing little glances at the guy sitting by the window, watching the rain fall as he sips his coffee as if nothing had happened at all.

Over a year he's been in the city and he has never ever run into anyone who's done something like this. For a stranger no less.

By the time he's being handed his mocha and the plate with his cake, he's made a decision. An impulsive one, maybe a stupid one, but … well. It's not every day that very attractive strangers with unironic bow ties give up their slices of cheesecake for you. He at least wants to make an attempt at being nice in return.

“Hey,” he says, stopping in front of the stranger's table, biting his lip, suddenly nervous.

“Oh, hey!” The stranger looks up at him, eyes lighting up with a bright smile. “Got your cake?”

“Yes.” Kurt smiles. “Um, about that – I was actually wondering if maybe you'd like to share?”

“Share?” The guy blinks at him.

Kurt nods. “This is seriously good cake, you know?” He shrugs. “I feel bad for depriving you. And this slice is huge, and you really _have_ to have tried their cheesecake at least once, and I – really wouldn't mind.”

“You don't have to do that,” the stranger assures him. “I'm quite happy with my cupcake. It's a good cupcake.”

“Well, and this is good cheesecake.”

The stranger laughs. “Do me a favor?”

Kurt nods. “What?”

Cupcake Guy tilts his head at him. “At least have a seat? While we argue this out?”

Kurt lowers his head, laughs with him. “Fine. I'll sit. If you let me share my cake.”

“We'll see about that.”

Kurt sits, grins back at him. “I guess we will.”

“I'm Blaine,” the guy says.

Kurt sets down the plate on the table between them. “My name's Kurt.”

“Hi Kurt,” Blaine says, and actually offers his hand across the table. “It's nice to meet you.”

Kurt shakes his hand, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. Who does stuff like this?

It takes a few more minutes of arguing before Blaine agrees to accept at least a third of the slice of cake. The way his eyes flutter closed as he eats puts a smirk on Kurt's face, which in turn makes Blaine insist on getting up and buying Kurt another mocha to thank him.

By the time they leave the coffee shop it's getting dark and the rain has stopped and Kurt has a new number in his phone. A boy's number. A boy named Blaine who goes to NYU and loves musical theater.

“We could run into each other again right here, tomorrow afternoon,” Blaine suggests before they part ways outside.

“For more cake?” Kurt grins at him.

Blaine grins back. “I was actually thinking for a date.”

Kurt blushes. “We can still have cake on a date, can't we?”

Blaine nods. “Oh, absolutely. Any good date should always involve cake.”

Kurt sighs and tilts his head at him dreamily. “Blaine,” he says, “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

**

Their first kiss happens the very next day, in the rain outside the coffee shop, and it tastes like cheesecake and coffee.

The next time they go by the shop and there's only one slice of cheesecake left, they just share without argument, even if maybe Kurt gets the slightly larger half – partly by stealing from Blaine's half and partly aided by the fact that Blaine keeps feeding him off his own fork. Kurt pays him back with kisses, which seems to be okay with Blaine.

When Blaine moves in with Kurt just over a year later, his Welcome Home cake is already waiting on Kurt's kitchen counter by the time he's done unpacking – Kurt ran out to 'their' coffee shop while Blaine was alphabetizing his books. They eat it in bed together. In _their_ bed. 

Outside it's raining, they both have homework, Kurt's dance teacher has been mean to him again all week and Blaine's study group is made up of a bunch of lazy idiots, but today, none of that really matters. 

They have their coffee, their cheesecake, and they get to share both with their best friend in the world. Naked. Under the covers. That's enough to make it a pretty good day.


End file.
